The instant invention relates to masonry tools, and more particularly to an adjustable guide assembly and method for constructing a brick wall.
It is generally common practice in the construction industry to construct the brick walls of buildings so that they are spaced forwardly from preexisting subwalls made of plywood or other sheet materials. However, since the subwalls of many buildings are often not perfectly vertical or plumb, it is generally necessary to intentionally construct the outer brick walls of buildings so that they are substantially parallel to the subwalls therebehind rather than perfectly plumb in order to maintain the brick walls in substantially uniformly spaced relation to their respective subwalls. In this connection, it will be apparent that if a brick wall is constructed in front of a subwall so that it is perfectly plumb rather than uniformly spaced forwardly from the subwall, it is possible for the two walls to converge in their upward extents until they actually meet, or for the two walls to diverge by an excessive amount. Accordingly, it has been found that it is generally preferable to construct a brick wall so that it is substantially uniformly spaced forwardly from a subwall therebehind rather than perfectly plumb. However, it has been further found that while it is generally a relatively simple matter to construct a brick wall so that it is substantially vertical or plumb utilizing a plumb line or a carpenter's level, it is generally more difficult to construct a brick wall so that it is substantially uniformly spaced forwardly from a subwall therebehind.
The instant invention provides an effective guide assembly and method for constructing a brick wall in substantially uniformly forwardly spaced relation to a subwall therebehind. More specifically, the instant invention provides an effective adjustable guide assembly which is operative for constructing a brick wall so that the front surfaces of the bricks therein are substantially uniformly spaced forwardly from a substantially vertical subwall by a predetermined gauge distance. The adjustable guide assembly of the subject invention comprises an elongated guide member having an elongated substantially straight longitudinally extending guide face thereon, and a gauge member including a spacer portion and a clamp portion for adjustably securing the spacer portion to the guide member so that the terminal end of the spacer portion is adjustably spaced outwardly from the guide face by the predetermined gauge distance. The guide member preferably comprises a carpenter's level having an aperture adjacent one end thereof and the clamp portion preferably comprises a C-clamp which is secured in clamping engagement in the aperture in the carpenter's level. The clamp portion preferably further comprises an internally threaded tubular sleeve which is secured to the C-clamp so that it is positioned in substantially parallel relation to the main clamping axis thereof. The spacer portion is preferably threaded and received in threaded engagement in the tubular sleeve on the C-clamp so that the distance by which the terminal end of the spacer portion is spaced outwardly from the carpenter's level is adjustable by rotating the threaded spacer portion in the tubular sleeve.
For use of the adjustable guide assembly of the subject invention to construct a brick wall in accordance with the method of the subject invention, a substantially horizontal bottom row of bricks is first constructed so that the front surfaces of the bricks therein are spaced forwardly from the subwall by a predetermind gauge distance. The guide assembly is then adjusted so that the terminal end of the spacer portion is spaced outwardly from the guide face of the guide member by the same gauge distance. The guide assembly can then be utilized as a guide for laying the bricks in one or more additional rows of bricks so that the front surfaces thereof are uniformly spaced forwardly from the subwall. Specifically, by positioning the guide member in a substantially vertical disposition with the guide face thereof in engagement with the bottom row of bricks and with the terminal end of the spacer portion in engagement with the subwall, the guide face can be utilized as a guide for positioning the front surfaces of the bricks in one or more additional rows of bricks laid on the bottom row.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective adjustable guide assembly for use in constructing a brick wall so it is substantially uniformly spaced forwardly from a subwall.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide an adjustable guide assembly including an elongated carpenter's level having a substantially straight guide face thereon, a spacer portion, and a clamp for securing the spacer portion to the carpenter's level so that the terminal end of the spacer portion is adjustably positionable in outwardly spaced relation to the guide face.
An even further object of the instant invention is to provide an effective method of constructing a brick wall so that it is substantially uniformly spaced forwardly from a subwall.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.